Charging or replenishing receptacles with gases under pressure.



F E. SMITH. CHARGING 0R REP-LENISHING RECEPTAGLES WITH GASES UNDERPRESSURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-26, 19l6.

1 03,922 Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I F. E. SMITH. CHARGING on REPLENISHING RECEPTACLES-WITHGASES UNDER PRESSURE.

v APPLICATiON FILED APR.26, 1916- 1,263,922, Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FRANKLIN ELIJAI-I SMITH, OE WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TOVICKEBS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, LGNDO-N, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Tatented Nov. Z, 1916.

Application filed. April 26, 1916. Serial No. 93,810.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN ELIJAH SMITH, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster, in thecounty of London, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Charging or Replenishing Receptacles with Gases UnderPressure, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved method of and means for chargingor replenishing receptacles with gas under pressure obtained by thecombustion in a combustion chamber suitably connected to or forming partof the receptacle to be charged or replenished, of a composition or substance which contains its own oxygen for supporting combustion.

The invention has particular reference to the charging or replenishingof the recuperator cylinders of ordnance and the pressure reservoirs oftorpedoes in circumstances in which it is inconvenient or impossible toutilize the usual plant for supplying air under pressure to thesecylinders and reservoirs.

Other important applications of the invention are the discharging oftorpedoes from the submerged or above-water tubes of warships, theblowing out of the ballast tanks of submarines, the charging ofpneumatic tires, the propulsion of bombs or shells from guns and thestarting or running of engines.

The said composition or substance is similar to the well known slowburning rocket composition.

According to the invention the gas resulting from the combustion of thecomposition or substance (which may be solid, liquid or semi-liquid) ispassed through a water or other filter which serves to prevent carbon orother undesirable impurities from being carried by the gas into therecuperator cylinder or other receptacle to be charged or replenished.This filter may also serve as a cooling device for the gas but aseparate cooling device may obviously be used.

.In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, I will describe the same more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 arerespectively an elevation, a plan and a section taken approximately onthe line 11 of Fig. 2, showing a constructional form of apparatus usedin connection with the production oi the pressure gas, and Fig. a is anelevation with parts thereof in section showing another form of theapparatus.

A represents the combustion chamber.

B represents the water filter (also serring as a' cooling device) O, C,C, C represent carriers containing the cartridges of highly compressedcombustible composition and D represents the primer for igniting thesecartridges.

In the example shown by Figs. 1 to 3, the combustion chamber A and thefilter B are formed by the upper and lower parts respectively of a metalcasing E of cylindrical shape. This casing is provided with a tube Earranged coaxially within the filter B. Near its upper end this tubecommunicates with the combustion chamber A and at its lower end it isnormally closed by a non.- return valve This non-return valve may bedispensed with in which case one or more suitable openings might betermed in the portion of the casing E dividing the combustion chamber Afrom the annular upper end of the filter B so that the pressure of thegases in the combustion chamber can be transmitted to the surface of theliquid in the annular portion of the filter. The

' combustion chamber A is provided for four bosses a, a, a, a suitablyrecessed to receive the flanges c, c, 0, c of the cartridge carriers C,C, C, C and being screw threaded externally to receive nuts 0 0 c 0which serve to hold the cartridge carriers firmly in position. Asuitable washer is interposed between the inner end of each cartridgecarrier and the recess in each boss a.

The primer is carried in an opening 1) in the upper end of the tube Ewhich is formed with holes (Z, cl, d (see Fig. 3) so arranged that theflash from the primer will be caused to impinge on the exposed safetyvalve The gas is conducted from with the combustion chamber A.

the upper portion of the filter by a bent pipe 6 and a pipe leading tothe recuperator or other receptacle to be charged or replenished isconnected to a screw threaded hole normally closed by a plug 0 If foundnecessary the filter may be provided with bafiie plates to prevent thegas from carrying with it any appreciable quantity of the water or otherliquid in the filter.

It will be understood that although in the above described apparatusprovision is made for the simultaneous ignition of four cartridges,three or fewer may be ignited, the empty carrier or carriers thenserving merely as plugs to prevent escape of the gas from the combustionchamber. Although the herein described apparatus is intended to bedetachably connected to the recuperator cylinder or other receptacle, itmay if desired be more or less permanently fixed thereto.

In the constructional form of the apparatus shown by Fig. l, thecarriers C, are disposed vertically within the filter B with their upperends in communication Each of these carriers receives a cartridge andthe portion of the casing between the carriers C, C receives the tube Ewhose upper end is in communication with the combustion chamber A andwhose lower end terminates close to the base of the filter B. Thecombustion chamber is closed by a plug E which is removed to enable thecartridges to be placed in their carriers C, C and is then screwed intoposition to close the combustion chamber. Although in Fig. t only twocarriers are shown, four or more may be employed and arranged around thecentral tube E. The apparatus comprises three combustion chambers andthree tubes and sets of carriers, the other two being arranged in asimilar manner to that described above and shown at the left hand partof Fig. 4. These combustion chambers are connected by passages of whichone is shown at E When the cartridges are ignited by the primer thegases generated pass down the tubes E and then ascend through the liquidin the filter B to the upper part of the filter above the liquid. The'ases then pass into a chamber E at the right hand upper part of Fig. 4cand then down a tube E and up a central tube E which extends close tothe lower end of the tube E. In this manner any liquid carried along bythe gases is trapped in a chamber E at the lower end of the tube E. Atthe upper end of the tube E is a spring pressed valve E which is liftedby the gases which then pass through the pipe E to the recuperator orother receptacle to be charged or 'replenished.

It will be observed that in reach of the constructions shown the gasespass from the combustion chamber A through the tube E whose lower end issituated at the lower part of the filter a substantial distance be neaththe surface of the liquid; In this manner as the gases generated by thecartridges at all periods in their combustion rise from the lower end ofthe tube E to the surface of the liquid, a substantially constantfiltration of the gases is obtained so that the gases passingfrom theapparatus are of practically constant consistency at all periods duringthe combustion of the'cartridges. V a

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis 1. Apparatus for charging or replenishmg a receptacle with gasesunder pressure,

comprising a filter, a chamber adapted to receive a composition orsubstance which contains its own oxygen for supporting combustion, and aconduit leadingfrom said chamber to near the bottom of saidfilter sothat all the gases generated by the :combustion of the said compositionenter the filter at one point and pass from the open end of the saidconduit through the filter, thus obtaining substantially constantfiltration of the gases.

2. Apparatus for chargingor replenishing a receptacle with gasesunderpressure, comprising a liquid filter, a chamber adapted to receivea composition or substance which contains its own oxygen for support ingcombustion, and a conduit leading from said chamber to near the bottomof said liquid filter so that all the gases generated 7 ing a receptaclewith gases under pressure,

comprising a filtering and cooling device,a chamber adapted to receive acomposition or substance which contains its ownoxygen for supportingcombustion, and a conduit leading from said chamber through said deviceto near the bottom of said device so that all the gases generated'by thecombustion of the said composition enter the device at one point andpass from the openend of said conduit through the said device, thuscooling the gases and obtaining substantially constant filtrationof-saicl gases. I

4. Apparatus for charging or replenishbustion of the said compositionenter the device at one-point and pass from the open end of said conduitthrough the said device, thus cooling the gases and obtainingsubstantially constant filtration of said gases.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

FRANKLIN ELIJAH SMITH.

ing a receptacle with gases under pressure, comprising a liquidfiltering and cooling device, a chamber adapted to receive a compositionor substance which contains its own 5 oxygen for supporting combustion,and a conduit leading from said chamber through said device to near thebottom of said device so that all the gases generated by the com Copiesof this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by. addressing theCommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

